Phanar's canonical mathematics in OCU ordinations: when 1×0=1
The Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate. Photo: the press service of the Church of Constantinople
Historian and theologian Serhiy Shumilo, who in 2018 presented a report to the Phanar on the history of the "ordinations" of the UAOC (one of the two structures that formed the OCU), told an amazing story about the logic of the Constantinople Church in recognizing the "ordinations" of the OCU. In it, Shumilo convincingly proved that one of the two "bishops" who performed the first "ordinations" of the UAOC in 1990, Vikentiy Chekalin, was an impostor and pedophile. The second, Ioann Bodnarchuk, had already been defrocked by the Russian Church long before that moment.
But Constantinople was not at all embarrassed by such facts. As S. Shumilo relates his communication with the Synod secretary, Archimandrite Gregory (now Metropolitan of Ankara), the Phanar decided that such "ordinations" should be considered "individual," since Bodnarchuk (defrocked as mentioned above), “no matter how anyone may regard him, was a lawful bishop of the Moscow Patriarchate who possessed indisputable apostolic succession.”
According to the Phanar's position, if Bodnarchuk had also been an impostor – then yes, there would have been problems. But since he was merely defrocked, then it's no big deal, it's normal. Chekalin, however, is simply a person who needs to be ignored. According to Constantinople, there exists a formula, “The form is filled with content,” according to which schismatics, if they are received into the Church, are immediately “filled with grace at the moment of reception...”
In support of this, the Synod secretary compared the situation to mathematics. “Chekalin is not a bishop at all; he is zero. And in mathematics, whether you multiply by zero or divide by zero, …it yields nothing,” Shumilo conveyed the words of the current Metropolitan of Ankara.
In teh end, a person stripped of rank is one, an impostor and pedophile is zero. If they conduct an ordination, then as a result a bishop of the Church appears. That is, 1×0=1. Such is this "canonical mathematics." Mathematics teachers weep bitter tears.
And now let us recall the Church canons.
"If any one shall pray, even in a private house, with an excommunicated person, let him also be excommunicated" (10th Apostolic Canon).
"If any clergyman shall join in prayer with a deposed clergyman, as if he were a clergyman, let him also be deposed" (11th Apostolic Canon).
"Let a bishop, presbyter, or deacon, who has only prayed with heretics, be excommunicated: but if he has permitted them to perform any clerical office, let him be deposed" (45th Apostolic Canon).
That is, if we translate into the language of mathematics, we get what we should: 1×0=0.
Why then do they think differently in Constantinople? Because they simply made a decision to legalize defrocked Ukrainian religious figures. And now they are "adjusting" theology to fit this decision.
Georg Hegel is credited with authorship of the phrase: "If the facts contradict my theory – so much the worse for the facts." This clearly describes our situation.
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